Date Night
by Justine Lark
Summary: Post-BD FLUFF! Edward plans a special night for Bella. When Bella reciprocates, he's amazed at the destination. Jacob plans the third evening. Next, Bella's and Edward's versions of a double date with Rose and Emmett. Last: Night out with Renesmee!
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes: __These are Stephenie Meyer's characters. I just can't stop making up new stuff about them. _

* * *

"Bella, a surprise means that you don't get to know until it happens," Alice said patiently.

I scowled at her reflection in the mirror. Even with my annoyed expression, I still looked more beautiful than I had once thought possible. Alice had just spent a few hours experimenting with my hair. At the moment, it was gathered in a bun with little braids circling it and curly tendrils framing my face. According to her, this was going to be a very special evening with my husband, and I had to look just right.

"I think this style is lovely," she pronounced. "Anyway, we're about out of time. So let's just keep this one."

"Fine. Can I get dressed now?"

She skipped ahead of me to her bedroom, where she had a new outfit ready for me. She flung the door open with a flourish. I had to admit the dress was nice. It was dark red and satiny.

"What do you think?"

"It's nice. I like the color. Edward must be sick of seeing me in blue all the time. And I like the swirly skirt."

She helped me into the dress and zipped it up, and she brought shoes and a little purse.

"You're the best, Alice. Well, you would be the best if you'd just give me a hint where we're going."

"No chance. Anyway, you'll find out soon enough. Now come on. Edward is ready."

He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He was wearing a suit. He was looking up at me. Love and desire surged through me. We'd been married for three years, and his beauty and the love in his golden eyes still blew me away every time. I hadn't gotten used to it, and I never wanted to. I flew down the steps and into his arms. He kissed me gently.

"You look beautiful. As always."

"You look amazing."

We were staring into each other's eyes. I felt completely cherished and completely devoted. Something crashed into me, and I looked down. Renesmee reached up to show me what I looked like running into Edward's embrace.

"Mommy, you look like a princess."

"Thank you, sweetie."

I saw in her memory that Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme had been standing with him.

I looked around. They were still right there. My expression must have shown that I was noticing them for the first time. They laughed.

"You look lovely, both of you," said Esme.

"Say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy," encouraged Rosalie.

I kissed Renesmee and let Edward lead me out to the car.

"Are you going to tell me now where we're going?"

"Not yet." His crooked smile still enchanted me.

We hadn't gone far when he pulled into a small, quiet parking area surrounded by trees. An instant later he had opened my door and helped me out of the car.

"Why are we here? What is this place? Is _this_ where we're going?"

"It's just that you look so sexy in that dress." His voice was slightly ragged silk. He pressed me against the car and kissed me. The delicious taste and the tingling sensation caused my eyes to close and all my questions to vanish. I slid my hands under his jacket to feel his powerful, perfect body. He bent his head to kiss my throat and the back of my neck.

"Bella, do you think if we were very careful…," he began, reaching around to the clasp at the top of my zipper.

"Aren't we supposed to be somewhere?"

"I'll be quick." He had the clasp open, and he was sliding the zipper down.

I was about to unbutton his shirt, but my conscience, unbidden, spoke up. "Edward, my hair! It'll get totally messed up."

He paused. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Alice will know, and she'll kill me. I'm supposed to look nice wherever it is we're going."

He sighed and moved the zipper back up.

"I suppose you have a point."

"If that's what you wanted, why did you let Alice get me all dressed up?"

"I'll just have to be patient. But it's not easy when you look like that." He smirked as he held the door open for me to get back in the car. I gave him one more serious kiss before I slid into my seat.

We were heading back the way we came. I was about to ask if he'd forgotten something, when I spotted the turnoff to the house. Lights were wrapped around the trees again.

"What is going on?" I demanded.

"You'll see in a minute," he said, flashing a mischievous smile and turning into the drive. Music was coming from the house along with a patter of light footsteps.

Edward held my hand as we entered the house. The living room had changed in the short time we'd been gone. The lights were low. Nearly all the furniture had been removed and many flickering candles added. Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper were dancing as Esme played the piano. Renesmee, wearing a pink party dress, sat on Jacob's lap on the small couch and watched her aunts and uncles with a rapt expression.

Edward turned to face me. "Bella, may I have this dance?"

I stared at him. "_This_ is what we're doing? You know I don't dance."

"You didn't. But now you will. Alice and I will teach you." His expression was surprisingly confident.

"You arranged all this?"

"With Alice's help. I couldn't just keep waiting for another girl's choice. Besides, you didn't even ask me the first time." His eyes sparkled with humor and excitement.

"But why?"

"It's fun. Please, try it."

The music ended, and Renesmee clapped with delight. She twirled as she came over to greet us. She showed me a picture of Edward and me on the dance floor with the other couples.

"I'm going to look like an idiot."

"No problem," my best friend interjected. "Then Jasper will owe me twenty bucks."

"Thanks, Jake. I appreciate your confidence."

"Jacob is the only one who bet against you," said Edward. "Now come on. When you live forever, you have to try a lot of new things."

Rosalie turned the lights up, so that Alice and Edward could show me what to do.

"Listen to the music," he said. "It will tell you when to move. And I'll lead you."

We walked slowly through the steps of a simple waltz. I didn't think I'd ever be as graceful as the others, but I didn't make any mistakes.

"Ready, love?"

"Everyone else is going to dance too, right? I don't want you all to just watch me."

The lights were low again, and Esme resumed playing.

I locked my gaze on Edward's eyes and let the music and his arms sweep me along. It was working! We were dancing. His expression held so much delight and affection, I laughed out loud.

"This is fun. It's easier than I thought."

"I told you, it's all in the leading."

"You can lead me anywhere." I loved the look of pride and satisfaction I saw on his beautiful face.

"Very nice, Bella," said Emmett, as we moved past him. Edward tried speed up to get us away from his brother, but of course I could still hear his comment. "Once you've mastered vertical dancing, you should try horizontal."

"Ignore him," Edward advised.

"I didn't hear anything."

"Liar," he said fondly.

One song ran into another, and Edward started to add spins and more ambitious footwork. Dancing was lovely when I was confident of decent coordination, unlimited energy, and my husband's arms to guide me. He knew when the music would end, and he dropped me into a dip. I giggled.

He pulled me upright and kissed me lightly. "I'm going to play for a while so Esme can dance."

Renesmee ran to sit beside him at the piano, and I flopped down next to Jacob.

"Yikes, you're too hot!" I yelped and moved a short distance away.

"Guess Jasper wins this one. You look good out there."

"Serves you right for betting against me," I said pertly. "Speaking of looking good, why didn't you get dressed up?" The Cullens were all in formal clothes, like Edward and me. Jacob's clothes were clean and free of rips, but nothing fancy.

"Hey, I'm wearing shoes and socks. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Very stylish."

"Come on, let's dance." He stood up and held out his hand for me.

"Do you know how?"

"As a matter of fact, Alice and Jasper showed me some moves before you got here."

We joined the swirl of movement. He wasn't as smooth as Edward, but he did know what to do.

"You have one strange family," he informed me. "Alice and Edward have been planning this for days. They kept reminding Nessie not to tell you anything. But I knew she wouldn't. She was excited about her new dress. Dresses, actually. Alice bought several."

"I was really surprised. But you shouldn't talk. They're your family too."

"Yeah," he said, deadpan. "How did I get so lucky?"

"You dope. This family is the best thing that ever happened to you."

He laughed. "Don't worry. I know it."

Edward put recorded music on so that he could leave the piano. Renesmee wanted to dance with her father.

He lifted her so that she was standing on his shoes and began dancing her around the room. Her laugh was infectious.

Jacob and I kept dancing but much more slowly. We were both riveted by the sight of their enjoyment. Everyone was. If the love in this room were visible, I thought, it would be blinding. It could light up Forks for a thousand years.

"She loves Daddy," Jacob commented indulgently.

"Of course she does. But you probably make the top three."

Edward and his adorable partner were heading towards us. "Renesmee wants me to dance with you again. May I cut in?"

Jacob put my hand into my husband's and swung Renesmee up into his arms. "Want to dance with me?" he asked her.

"Yes!" She leaned her head on his chest and touched his cheek with her hand. Jacob and Edward both laughed.

"What did she show him?"

"She wants to do this again tomorrow night."

"Hmmm," I said. I thought back to our moment by the car and opened my mind for a moment so Edward could see. He was used to receiving my thoughts when I had something I preferred to convey that way.

"Maybe not tomorrow night, then." He pulled me a little closer. "But we could have another dance party soon."

"I'd like that." I filled my mind with all the happiness I'd felt dancing with him and being with our family and let him see my pleasure and gratitude. "Thank you for planning this."

"You're welcome, love. Thank you for sharing your feelings with me." He kissed my forehead.

Over Edward's shoulder I could see that Renesmee was falling asleep in Jacob's arms as he swayed with the music.

"I'll put her to bed," he whispered to us, starting up the stairs.

"Let me do that!" Rosalie broke away from Emmett and hurried after him.

"I've got it under control."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Edward was shaking his head and looking rueful. "It's not just on the surface. They _still_ don't like each other. Renesmee has performed miracles, but that relationship remains a work in progress."

"Well, I believe in miracles," I declared. "I'm holding one in my arms right now."

"That's my line."

"Edward Cullen," I said sternly, tilting my head to the side and giving him a penetrating look.

"What?"

"Sometimes you seem to think that you're the only one who is allowed to say nice things and plan surprises."

"I do that?" His innocent expression wasn't very convincing.

I nodded. "But don't you dare apologize. It's my own fault. If I did it more, you'd be used to it."

"So you're going to lavish me with more sweet talk and special outings? I guess I can handle that."

"Yes," I said firmly. "I'm going to plan a night out, and it will happen when you least expect it."

"I'm married to Bella Cullen. I never know what to expect. And I love it."

_Author's Note: This story was inspired by the song "Can I Have This Dance?" from the High School Musical 3 sound track. Dancing is a metaphor for Troy and Gabriella's relationship, and of course, being hopelessly stuck in the Twilight zone, I imagined Bella and Edward in their places. But of course Bella doesn't dance. Or could she? After her transformation? This is the first thing I've written with Bella as a vampire, with Renesmee on the scene, etc. It was a fun challenge. Please let me know if you like it!_

_The next chapter tells about the special night planned by Bella. Edward is really pleased, and I hope my readers will be too._


	2. Chapter 2

I had everything figured out. In fact, I had just finished implementing phase one of my plan. Jacob had taken Renesmee to Charlie's for the afternoon, and I had taken Edward to our cottage. There wouldn't be time for any detours later, so I thought it was best to take pre-emptive measures. Besides, I always wanted to spend our free time in bed.

My phone rang. Phase two was right on schedule. I spoke briefly to Jacob and then turned to Edward.

"Jacob's been called back to La Push. Some quarrel between kids they want _him_ to help settle, if you can believe that. Anyway, we have to pick up Renesmee."

He made no objection. Apparently, I was becoming a much more accomplished liar. We found the clothes we'd strewn about the room and headed to the garage.

"You don't mind if I drive, do you?"

"Of course not, sweetheart."

He traced his hand up and down my leg as I drove. We chatted about Charlie. I was concerned about his health.

"Am I distracting you too much?"

"No."

"You missed the turn, love."

"Oh, that? I didn't miss it. I mean, I did miss it, but it was on purpose." I gave him a significant look.

"Bella!" His face lit up. "Is this your surprise?"

"Signs point to yes."

"We're not dressed up. Did you bring a change of clothes?"

"As a matter of fact, I do have some things for us to put on later."

"I'm impressed. I didn't notice any plans in anyone's head, and I've been checking." He thought back for a moment, and something else struck him. "Just now at the cottage! I thought that was spontaneous."

If it were possible, I would have blushed. "Do I need to apologize?"

"Let me think. You deliberately seduced me while leading me to believe you were simply overcome with passion. Yes, you'd better not let that happen again!" He laughed. "You make me so happy. Did you know that?"

"I know you'll figure it out when we get close. You'll hear other people thinking about it. But until then, please close your eyes so you don't see where we're going."

"As you wish." He reclined his seat and closed his eyes. I put the radio on. He relaxed and didn't speak except to warn me of an upcoming speed trap. I didn't drive nearly as fast as he did, but I did speed more regularly than Charlie would have liked.

As I predicted, as we approached the stadium parking lot, his eyes flew open and he abruptly sat up.

"Bella!" he exclaimed again. "Are we going to a baseball game?"

"Are you surprised?"

"Very." He looked amazed and delighted. "But you don't like baseball."

"Maybe I didn't. But when you live forever, you have to try new things." I repeated his words back to him. "You like it, and I will too."

"I don't know what to say, except I love you."

I parked the car and pulled out a bag I had stashed in the trunk. I had a Mariners baseball cap for each of us.

"Very thorough," he said with approval.

"I learned from the best."

"Have I created a monster?"

I couldn't help laughing. "Put the cap on," I ordered. "You're far too good-looking. I don't want everyone to see us on the Jumbotron. We have to keep a low profile, remember."

"In that case, I had better not do this when we get in there." He pulled me into his arms and kissed me. His mouth was so soft, warm, sweet, tantalizing. I could never get enough. I loved to feel his lips meet mine, to feel the pressure increase, to chase his mouth with mine as he drew back, to feel him renew the contact at a different angle. I could do this for hours. His hands slid along my shoulders, down my arms to my hands, and he moved away slightly, ending the embrace.

"Game time is approaching," he said primly, dropping one of my hands and holding the other as we walked.

We found our seats. It was a beautiful night, the Mariners were playing the Red Sox, and the crowd was buzzing.

"Did you always like baseball? Even when you were human?" I asked.

"That is something that really bothers me. I don't remember! The Cubs won the World Series when I was seven years old, and I don't know if I was even aware of it."

He could tell that I didn't understand.

"The Chicago Cubs are my home team," he explained. "They won it all in 1908, and they haven't since. No team has gone longer without winning the World Series. In fact, no team in any professional sport has gone longer without winning its championship. Emmett and I have often wondered if we will live long enough to see them win."

"Wow, are they that bad?"

"I'll pretend you didn't say that."

"Sorry!"

He smiled. "Bella, it means so much to me that you brought me here and you want to learn." He picked up my hand and kissed it. "I keep wanting to ask you if you're sure. I won't, because that wouldn't be gracious. You're giving me a wonderful gift, and I appreciate it. I'm not going to question it. But you can't knock my team!"

"What about Emmett? Are the Cubs his team too? I never paid attention."

"Yes. He didn't have a favorite team when he joined our family so he adopted mine. That's when we started playing baseball ourselves."

"I'll be a Cubs fan too, then."

He didn't respond right away. "I don't know, love. You know I hate to see you in pain."

"Are you serious? I don't understand," I said, laughing at his concerned expression.

"When you really care about a team, it hurts so much when they lose. Especially if they come close to winning. Cubs fans have to cope with a lot of disappointment."

"Well, I am going to share that with you from now on."

"Really, Bella?" He still looked worried. "Another sacrifice you're making for me! I hope it's worth it."

"I have so many blessings in my life. A little disappointment will remind me I'm not dreaming."

"That's a lovely way to think about it." He kissed my hand again.

"If you keep on kissing me, I won't even notice any disappointment."

The game was underway. Charlie had reviewed some of the basics with me. He was a bit nonplussed at my eagerness to learn about baseball, but he knew I'd do anything to please Edward. I could follow along pretty well, even though my eyes were continually drawn to the immoderate beauty of my husband's face. He was riveted by the action on the field.

"Being here in person is very different," he commented after a while. "It's incredibly noisy, of course, but if I concentrate I can hear the coaches and the players. I'm sorry, though. I've been ignoring you."

"It's OK. I'm so happy you're having a good time. I just like being here with you."

He put his arm around me. "Me too, sweetheart. Now, let me explain what the coach is trying to do."

It really was fascinating. Baseball was a whole new experience with Edward's mesmerizing voice in my ear filling me in on the strategic situation as he understood it and the thoughts he could overhear from both teams.

His head turned suddenly, and he directed a glare at a somewhat rowdy group of young men to our right. They quieted down.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"Pull your cap down lower," he said. "I don't like what they were thinking about you."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes but did as he asked. "What about you? Don't try to tell me there aren't lots of women here checking you out."

He smirked. "A few, I suppose," he admitted.

"A few. Right," I teased him.

"It's just a nuisance. I don't want to hear anyone but you thinking about me that way."

"Oh, really?" I eyed him speculatively.

"Not right now, though!" he added quickly. We both knew I could drive him wild with my visions of the things we did together. "Please, wait until we get home!"

I laughed. "I was just kidding. I wouldn't do that to you."

"Thankfully, when you have forever, there is time for everything." He leaned over to kiss me on the neck, where my pulse used to be. "I'll just hope the game doesn't go into extra innings."

In fact, with the Mariners in the lead, the game ended after the first half of the ninth inning. As we headed out to the parking lot along with the happy crowd, he swung my hand. At the car, he put his arms around me. His golden eyes were as dazzling as ever.

"Bella, this was such a nice idea. You are the best wife ever. I don't know what else to say. I guess I'll just have to show you how grateful I am when we get home."

"In that case, you drive."

He laughed. "Whatever you want. I feel so great. This has been an almost perfect night."

"Almost?"

"Did you notice that the scoreboard shows results for the other games being played tonight?"

"No," I said, puzzled. "What did it say?"

He sighed. "The Cubs lost."

* * *

_Author's Note: Do you think Bella's surprise was a good response to Edward's? Please let me know what you thought about my story! _

_Bella and Edward really deserve some fun evenings out after all they've been through, so I came up with another chapter. It's pretty silly, but I hope it will surprise and entertain. _


	3. Chapter 3

Rosalie thought we were crazy. "You're going where _he_ tells you?" she demanded. Anger and suspicion marred her perfect beauty.

"What could happen to us?" Edward asked reasonably.

"You have no idea what he has in mind," she accused.

She was right. Jacob had sent a note and a map instructing us to be at a certain address in Seattle at a certain time. He had deliberately contacted us in writing and stayed away from the house today so that Edward wouldn't be able to pick up his intentions.

"Rosalie," I said. "Please relax."

She ignored me, keeping her eyes on her brother. Her lip curled. "So you're taking orders from dogs now."

Edward laughed. "I grant you, once upon a time, he would have gladly stranded me on the far side of the moon. That was then. Now, my wife and I are going to enjoy a lovely evening out, thoughtfully arranged by our dear friend. So get out of our way."

"_I_ will take care of Renesmee for you," she said passionately as she stepped aside.

"What did she mean?" I asked Edward as we walked down the steps hand in hand. "Tonight, or when we don't come back from where Jake is sending us?"

"A little of both," he said, chuckling.

"I heard that!" Rosalie's musical voice soared from the house.

He was still laughing as we got in the car. "You would not believe what she thinks might happen. She's worried he's going to somehow catch us out in the sun, at this time of day! Or he's arranged for some nomads to do away with us. Her feelings about him are completely clouding her judgment. Even without Alice to watch out for us, he'd never hurt you."

"Or you!"

"Or me," he agreed, with a complacent smile. "I don't have to read his mind at this minute to know this is a good surprise."

"Well, drive fast. I'm dying to find out."

* * *

Edward turned into the parking lot. The address matched the information on Jacob's map. We looked at the building, and Edward burst out laughing. The sign read "Culinary Institute of Seattle."

"He's sending us to cooking class." Edward was chortling with amusement.

"Cooking class?" I said incredulously. "We don't have to go."

"Bella, if he thinks my cooking skills need improvement, I can take a hint."

"Oh, please," I scoffed. "He doesn't seem to have any trouble devouring the food you make, and neither do the others. This is just for fun."

We climbed out of the car. If Edward was game for Jacob's surprise, I was ready to play along. He really was in a buoyant mood. "I haven't done any cooking since before," I fretted. "I'll probably look inexperienced, but that's OK." I paused suddenly in front of the door. "Wait. Do you think this is a good idea for me? Jake can be so thoughtless sometimes! There could be knives. What if someone gets cut and bleeds?"

He pulled me to the side and looked at me very seriously. His golden eyes were hypnotizing and relaxing. His confident voice soothed me.

"You aren't thirsty, and nothing serious is going to happen. Alice would be calling us right now if she noticed trouble. If anyone gets cut, you'll stop breathing and I will make an excuse and get you out of there. Just try to go limp, and I'll carry you. I'll tell them you get faint at the sight of blood. That seems plausible, doesn't it?" His mouth quirked into a smile.

My laugh was a little bit shaky.

"Trust me," he said, leaning in for a kiss.

"Always," I breathed before our lips met and the pleasure shot through me.

We entered and presented ourselves at the front desk. "Edward and Bella Cullen?" repeated the receptionist as she checked a list for our names. "You're here for Introduction to Pies and Pastry?"

"Yes."

"That's so nice. Most young people aren't interested in learning how to bake. Your classroom is down the hall, second door on the left. Your teacher is Judy."

Our class consisted of five other students, four women and an older man, and the instructor. Judy asked everyone to introduce themselves.

Three of the women were coworkers at an insurance agency. The other was an elementary school teacher. The man was retired. All of them had taken classes at the institute before.

Now it was my turn. They looked at me expectantly. I wished Edward could do all the talking. He was so smooth. But I was next in the circle, and I didn't want to seem unable to speak for myself.

"I'm Bella. This is my husband Edward." I paused for a moment to get my thoughts together. "We just got married a few months ago, and one of our friends gave us this class as a wedding present."

I glanced at Edward. He was smiling. I guessed he approved of my story. Maybe we should have agreed on our cover before we came in here. Too late now. We were going to have to improvise.

"Have either of you baked pies before?" asked Judy.

"I haven't," I replied. "I just usually make dinner, and serve ice cream or cookies from the store for dessert."

"Edward?" I could tell she was affected by his looks. Her voice was nervous. She was blushing, and her heart was beating quickly.

"My specialty is cinnamon rolls," he said. He was doing his best to control his impact on the room. He kept his eyes down and tried to mumble. He must be hearing their reactions. "I've never made pie."

Judy instructed us to gather ingredients from the class cupboards and refrigerator. Under cover of this activity, I opened my mind for a moment to let Edward hear my questions. _Are things going OK? What do they think of us?_ He spoke very quietly and rapidly. The others would see us concentrating on each other, but they couldn't hear.

"They're torn between admiration and disapproval. They think we're too young to be married and too attractive to have to do our own cooking. We're challenging lots of stereotypes tonight."

_They don't even know the one about creatures who should be feasting on humans, not pie._ I let him hear my reaction before dropping the shield back into place. He rolled his eyes.

"The secret of a good pie crust is keeping the ingredients _cold_," Judy explained. "You're mixing flour, cold butter and ice water. You have to work fast or the heat of your hands will soften the butter too much and your crust will be tough."

"Keep that in mind," advised Edward in my ear. I giggled.

"Do you have a question, Bella?"

"No, I'm sorry."

Judy was still waiting for me to explain myself.

"It's just, um, he always thinks my hands are cold, so he thinks I'll be good at pie crust."

The women sighed and beamed with approval. Apparently, we were very convincing as adorable newlyweds. Well, if all I had to do to avoid suspicion was to appear madly in love with my husband, this would be a piece of cake. Or pie. I laughed nervously.

"Some people prefer to use a pastry cutter so they won't have this problem," Judy continued, still smiling.

We blended the ingredients for the crust and formed the dough into a ball. My eyes were drawn to Edward's hands at work. Those hands were always very sure, very precise, very deft. My mind was starting to drift. I had to force myself to concentrate on my own bowl. We both received praise for the consistency we'd achieved.

While the dough was chilling, we chopped apples. I was on high alert. When I was human, I was constantly cutting myself. That was impossible now, but here I was still having to worry about knife accidents. What were we doing here? I could be hunting with Edward, spending time with him at the cottage, playing a game with Renesmee, listening to him play the piano. Instead, I was flirting with disaster while preparing a pastry that I would never eat. How had I gotten myself into this? I felt Edward's hand gently rubbing my back. He must have noticed my agitation. All the other students slid their apples into their bowls. There had been no mishaps.

They were watching us again. My posture was still very tense. Edward cleared his throat. "Bella is a bit nervous around knives. She cuts herself a lot," he explained, looking at me fondly. They ate up his affectionate concern for me. I couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Jake had a very twisted sense of humor.

Under Judy's supervision, we added sugar and cinnamon to the apples. We rolled out the dough, filled the crust with the apple mixture and covered it with the top crust.

While we prepared the pies, Ruth, the elementary school teacher whose station was next to me, wanted to chat. "Where did you two meet?"

This question was easy to answer, since the truth happened to be extremely plausible. "In school. We were lab partners in Biology."

"Was it love at first sight?"

"Yes." We spoke at the same time. Of course, Edward wasn't being completely honest. Oh, well. It was true his reaction had been immediate. Love, homicidal rage, it had all amounted to the same thing in the end.

"That is so sweet," she cooed.

"Yes, I'm very lucky." It was easy to feel smug about my husband's perfection. I was so used to a reality that exceeded my dreams. But my life was a blessing, not an entitlement.

"This is kind of a personal question, but what made you decide to get married so young? You must be right out of high school."

I wasn't sure how to respond. Our story was so complicated, and I didn't know what combination of half-truth and outright falsehood would be best. Would it be rude to say it was too personal? _Help!_ I begged Edward.

"That was my fault." He spoke up. "Bella wasn't in any hurry, but I knew my feelings for her weren't going to change, and I wanted her to be my wife."

Ruth stared at him with round eyes. She was practically melting with sentimental admiration.

_Not like that_, I admonished him quickly. _You must be overwhelming her._

"I'm very jealous," he continued smoothly. "I could tell that lots of other guys were interested in Bella, and I couldn't let her stay a free agent."

Her gaze dropped back to me. "Well, you two seem very happy together." She seemed a little calmer now. I knew what she was thinking as well as Edward did. She thought my husband was gorgeous but domineering. Her envy of me and interest in him were waning.

"Thank you," I said warmly. "We are." I threw a glance at Edward. He looked very pleased with himself.

While the pies were baking, Judy reviewed different fillings we could substitute for the apples. She gave us each a booklet of recipes. "People love the smell of baking pies," she advised us cheerfully. "If you put a pie in the oven before guests come over, it makes them very happy and relaxed."

"It does smell great in here, doesn't it, Bella?" Edward commented, with a mischievous grin.

"Yes. Delicious," I agreed warily. The heat of the ovens had certainly intensified the mouth-watering aroma of human blood.

By the time our stations were clean, the pies were ready to come out of the oven. "Time to taste your creations," Judy announced. She handed me some utensils.

"Oh," I said stupidly, looking down at my pie. I had no idea how to handle this situation. I'd never been expected to consume human food. I'd never had to choke it down— or choke it back up.

"I'm sorry." I heard Edward's voice and turned towards him hopefully. I could see he was entertained by my confusion, but he managed to smother his amusement. "We don't want to try these now. Is that OK? We're going to take them home to Bella's father and ask him which he thinks is best. Right, love?"

"Right." I exhaled in relief.

"You both did a wonderful job," Judy assured us. "Your pies are both excellent. You two are such a cute couple. Don't let this turn into a fight."

"Of course not," said Edward. "There's nothing to argue about. I'm sure mine is better." They all laughed, but Ruth shot me a look of sympathy. "Well, we should get going," he continued. We expressed our appreciation of Judy's instruction, our pleasure in meeting everyone and our interest in enrolling in another class sometime soon. Being a Cullen meant being extremely polite, but I felt like I couldn't get out of the building fast enough.

"Oh!" I exclaimed when we burst through the door. "I thought I was going to have to eat something!"

"You were so funny! You were so cute. I haven't seen you in front of strangers very much." The crooked smile was lighting up his face.

"I'm glad I could keep you entertained," I said sardonically.

"You did," he laughed. "And I'm proud of you. You were great. You were very natural. They all liked you," he reported happily. "That was so much fun. And we learned how to make delicious pies."

"It was kind of exciting to have secrets together. Thank you for bailing me out when I needed it." We smiled at each other, love, trust and amusement flashing between our eyes. I changed my tone to scolding. "But there was one thing you really shouldn't have said."

"What?" He looked genuinely concerned.

"Your pie is _not_ better."

* * *

Charlie, Jacob and Seth sat across from us at the table in Charlie's kitchen. They each had two plates in front of them, with a narrow sliver of pie on each. A long negotiation in the car had been necessary to arrive at the rules of the contest. I had called ahead to assemble the panel of judges. Edward argued that if I served the pie, my face would reveal which one was mine and it wouldn't be a fair competition. I argued that if anyone except me served, Edward would have the information, and he'd give it away. He claimed he had a better poker face than I did, and eventually I conceded. He had put slices of one pie on white plates and slices of the other on blue plates, and he was the only one who knew which was which.

Jacob finished both servings in two bites each. "They're both great," he announced. "Can I have some more?"

"You are such a pig. You're supposed to say which one is better," I reminded him.

"Different, but equal," he said judiciously.

"Seriously?" I looked at Edward to get his take on Jacob's non-decision.

He wore a very slight frown. I assumed he was raking through Jacob's brain searching for a preference. Jacob returned his gaze patiently, eyebrows raised. "I believe him."

"OK, then. You're off the hook," I told Jacob grumpily.

Seth had taken a bite from one slice and cleaned the other plate. "I liked the one on the white plate better," he shrugged. "I bet it's yours," he said to Edward. "You're a fantastic cook."

"That means this one is Bella's," said Charlie, forking up another bite of the pie on his blue plate. "It's delicious. I love it. You'll make another one for me sometime, right, honey?"

"Those are your judgments?" Edward asked briskly. They nodded. He chuckled. "Charlie liked mine better and Seth's favorite was Bella's."

"Yours is really good too," my father hastened to assure me.

"Bella, wow, who knew?" said Seth.

"And Jacob liked them both the same, so we have a split decision," Edward concluded.

"What does that mean?" I wondered.

"It means we both have to pay up," Edward said, smirking at me.

"You had a bet?" Jake asked. "What were the stakes?"

Oops. Leave it to Jacob to ask an awkward question. I pressed my lips together and shaded my eyes with my hand.

"Let's not talk about it in front of Bella's father," said Edward, struggling unsuccessfully to control his amusement. Charlie started and turned bright red. He got to his feet.

"I'm taking another piece and going back to watch TV," he said loudly. "You kids stay as long as you want." He scuttled off without meeting our eyes.

"Thanks, Dad!" I called after him. Then I turned to Edward in mortification. "Couldn't you have made something up?"

He was laughing out loud now. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. He's already pushed it out of his mind. But I didn't mean to upset you." His expression changed, and he leaned over to fix me with his gaze. His eyes were gleaming. The humor was still there, but there was an intensity that sent heat flaring up inside me. His voice was low and velvety. "I'll make it up to you. You don't have to give me my prize. You can just let me give you yours, twice."

"Would you two please get a room?" Jake grumbled.

"Yeah, some of us are trying to eat!" added Seth.

I tore my eyes away from Edward's to glare at our friends. The two of them had already finished my pie.

* * *

_Author's Note: So, tell me, were you surprised by where they went on this date? Did you like the outcome of the taste test? Please let me know what you think! _

_In the next chapter, Rosalie is determined to show that a night out with her and Emmett would be more fun than anything Jacob could arrange!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: I had been working on a chapter that includes Renesmee, which is now Chapter 6. While I was writing that, though, it occured to me that Rosalie wouldn't be too pleased that Edward and Bella went on a date arranged by Jacob, and, even worse, enjoyed it! I figured she'd be determined to prove that they'd have a much better time with her and Emmett. _

* * *

"_This_ is what you do for fun?" I stared at Rosalie in shock. It was Saturday night, and we were perched on stools at a high table in a very fancy and crowded Seattle bar. She stroked her thigh, unnecessarily smoothing her dress over it, and pretended to drink some of her dacquiri.

The mysteries surrounding this excursion had suddenly become clear to me. Rosalie and Emmett had invited us to join them for an evening out. Well, _insisted_ was probably a more accurate word than _invited_. My brother and sister wouldn't tell me what we would be doing. Edward knew, of course, but he had promised not to tell. I remembered what he'd said earlier, before I went to the house to let Alice and Rosalie dress me: "We agreed to participate, and I agreed not to tell you what's in store, but I won't be comfortable unless you and I have an agreement just between us. If you don't like it, if you want to stop, tell me in your thoughts, and I will deal with Emmett and Rosalie." His words and serious tone made me apprehensive, and I promised to let him know if I wanted out.

We'd driven in separate cars. Rosalie and I took her red car and Emmett went with Edward. And now I understood all of it. Rosalie liked to arrive somewhere by herself, dressed to kill, sit by herself and soak up attention from all the men and most of the women in the room. People actually called their friends to join them in order to take a look at her. Rosalie could hear the whispers, the comments, the bets that her admirers thought were private. She fielded a steady stream of requests to buy her drinks, to sit with her, to reveal her phone number, to take a picture of her, to retire somewhere more private, to run away together. After she enjoyed a suitable period of worship from the unsuspecting masses, Emmett would appear, pretending not to know her. Of course, his large and very attractive presence would cause another stir. They would flirt, leave together as the crowd watched in surreptitious or open fascination, and spend the night at a nearby hotel.

This evening Edward and I were expected to take part in this charade. Rosalie had just informed me that when our husbands showed up, they were going to pretend to be strangers to us, and I had to play along.

"Bella, you promised to give it a try," she reminded me. The waiter approached and indicated another group of men who wanted to join us. Her smile was glorious as she politely declined again.

"Yes, I did," I confirmed. "And I will. But I don't get why you like doing it."

She waved her hand slightly to indicate the room. "Everyone is looking at us. Seeing the two of us here, they can't believe their eyes. Doesn't it feel great? And when Em arrrives, it's so exciting. We know what's going to happen, but it's always different. Everyone thinks Emmett picked me up, persuaded me to leave with him when the rest of them struck out. He _loves_ it. Edward will too."

"You think so?" I was dubious. I had always thought it bothered Edward when other men paid attention to me. He couldn't avoid hearing their thoughts.

"Well, he knew what this evening was all about. He's known for ages that Em and I do this. And he agreed for you two to come along, didn't he?"

She had a point. But he could have agreed just to please—or placate—her, or because he thought I would enjoy it. I didn't want to spoil his hopes, but I decided to take him at his word. If I didn't like it, I'd tell him silently and we'd leave Rosalie and Emmett to their fun. "Can I ask one more thing?"

"Of course. I want you to know how it all works."

"When does the game end?"

She smiled hugely and her eyes sparkled. "Afterwards," she said, raising her eyebrows significantly.

"OK, Rosalie," I said, rolling my eyes. "I get it."

The waiter was at her side again. "Two gentlemen over there would like to meet you." I followed his gesture and gasped. Edward was so radiantly handsome, so mesmerizingly attractive that he looked as if he were in a spotlight. As if he were in color and everything else were black-and-white. The waiter smiled at my reaction. "Yes?" he said to Rosalie. "Your friend likes that one."

"Very well." Rosalie passed the waiter a tip. "Please say we'd be delighted." He returned to our husbands, and I saw them head towards us.

I took a deep breath and turned away to stare at the glass on the table in front of me. Edward's delicious scent was wafting towards me. It intoxicated me more than the alcohol in my drink ever could have. I wanted to throw myself in his arms, taste his mouth and feel his body against mine. This was not going to be easy.

"Thank you for inviting us to join you," said Emmett smoothly. He looked very handsome and far more put-together than I usually saw him. "I'm Emmett McCarty. My buddy here is Edward Masen. We're in town for a convention. This is the kid's first business trip, and I'm introducing him to some of our clients. But I didn't expect we'd be meeting the two most beautiful women on earth."

"What a sweet thing to say," Rosalie purred. "I'm Rosalie. Rosalie Hale."

It was my turn. I looked at Rosalie's exquisite face. She nodded at me encouragingly. Emmett was admiring her. I flashed a glance at Edward. His eyes were down. His expression was very thoughtful.

"Isabella Swan," I said. I felt it would be easier to keep up the pretense if I used a less familiar name. The first time Edward had ever spoken to me, he already knew, to my surprise, that I preferred to be called Bella.

"Great to meet you, Isabella," said Emmett, grinning. He sat down next to Rosalie and began chatting with her. I turned to his companion. Edward Cullen's mind, body and spirit had captivated me at first sight. Edward Masen looked the same. How soon would I fall for him if we were meeting for the first time tonight?

"That's a lovely name," he said. His voice was luscious.

"It's kind of old-fashioned, don't you think?" I commented.

"Yes," he agreed. "Maybe that's why I like it. I like old-fashioned things."

"Really? Like what else?" Our eyes met briefly, and I was jolted by the beauty of his clear golden gaze. I was better off not looking at him directly.

"Well, one of my favorite things to do is play the piano. Not very cutting-edge, is it?"

"It depends on what kind of music you play."

"The classics." I caught the familiar crooked smile. "And also my own compositions."

"You write music? Isn't that modern?"

"I see your point. But my pieces are pretty traditional."

"Are you a musician?" I asked.

"Yes, but not professionally. Emmett and I sell medical equipment to hospitals and clinics and doctor's offices."

"Do you enjoy your work?" Asking open-ended questions was the best way to get to know someone.

"I'm just starting out. I like it because there's a technical side, learning the characteristics of all the products and understanding the scientific and medical basis for them. But there's also a personal side. We meet a lot of people. In order to be effective at sales, we have to discover their concerns and show that our products will solve problems for them."

"I bet you're good at it."

He chuckled. "I can be fairly persuasive when I try."

"Is that a warning?"

"Do you have any problems I could help you solve?"

"Maybe."

"What do you do? Are you in school?"

"I'm taking some time off before college. I'm working as a nanny to a little girl."

"Is she a problem for you?"

"No, not at all." I couldn't help smiling at the thought of Renesmee. "She's delightful. Very precocious. She's a real charmer."

"I can tell that you enjoy your work too."

"I do. Being with her is not really work at all."

"And I bet you're good at it. What sorts of things do you do with her?"

I laughed. "She keeps me busy. It's a good thing I have a lot of energy. We like to read stories together and spend time outdoors, in the woods. But you don't want to hear all about her, do you? Most guys our age are not interested in little children."

"How should I answer that? If I say I am interested, you'll think I'm peculiar or worse, just giving you a line. But if I say I'm not, it would be rude."

"You could tell the truth."

"The truth," he said meditatively. "The truth is that I'm interested in _you_ and I want to know about everything that's important to you." I chanced another look into his eyes. The light amber glowed with warmth and pure goodness. I was starting to melt. "You said you had a problem I might be able to help you with."

I tilted my head towards Rosalie and Emmett. They were totally engrossed in each other. "I think Rosalie has found a new friend. That's a problem because she was my ride home."

"I see. Well, I'd be happy to solve that problem for you. It would be an honor to see you home safely."

"That's very kind of you. I wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

"It would be my pleasure, truly."

"It's still early, though. Do you have to take me straight home?"

He smiled. His eyes were like molten honey as he leaned closer. "This must seem very forward of me," he said in a low voice. "I've never done anything like this before. Everyone says that, but it's true. I've never felt this way about anyone. Would you like to come to my room?"

I nodded. I was already breathing faster with anticipation. Would I ever have left a bar with someone I just met? No way, unless Edward was the one asking. From the very beginning, I would have followed him anywhere.

He stood up. "Emmett," he said. "I am going to take Isabella home. I'll see you in the morning."

"No problem, kid." Emmett turned to me with a broad smile. "You can trust Edward. He'll take care of you." Rosalie giggled.

"It was nice to meet you," I said to Emmett. "Bye, Rosalie."

"Bye!" she said brightly, winking at me. "We'll talk soon."

Edward helped me put on my jacket and escorted me through the door. As Rosalie had predicted, I could hear a murmur of comment at our departure together. Did Edward get a thrill from leaving with me on his arm? Did he hear envy or disappointment in the minds of the other patrons? Glancing up at him, I did feel a surge of pride and pleasure at the sight of his beautiful features. But I always felt that way.

"My hotel is right around the corner," he said, with a small smile. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," I said quietly.

"I said I would take you home, and I will, whenever you want to go."

"You seem like a really nice person," I said. "I didn't think I'd meet someone like you in a place like that."

"It was Emmett's idea," he said.

"Well, please thank him for me. This is my lucky night."

He smiled. "I have to disagree. The good fortune is all mine."

It was raining lightly. Raindrops sparkled in his hair, only increasing his allure.

"I'm so sorry, Isabella. I don't have an umbrella for you," he said.

"It's OK, really. I don't mind a little rain."

He took a deep breath, and I knew he was pulling my scent from the moist air. "Neither do I."

He led me through the lobby to the elevators. Someone else was waiting, and none of us spoke as we boarded the elevator and ascended. She exited on the fourth floor, leaving us alone. Edward took my hands in his. "Isabella," he said. "You're so beautiful." He approached me very slowly. He didn't embrace me. We were still just holding hands, our bodies were still separated, when our lips gently met. The contact was electrifying. He ended the kiss and looked at me intently.

"Is that OK?" he asked softly.

"Yes," I gasped.

"More?"

"Yes!" He pulled me toward him and kissed me again, much more deeply, more passionately, more urgently. The feel and taste of his mouth and tongue on mine was quickly making me delirious. I slid my hands into his damp hair. He wrapped his arms around me. The elevator bell rang and the doors slid open. Without breaking the kiss, he picked me up and carried me down the hall.

He put me down and leaned into me, trapping me between his body and the door at my back. The pressure felt wonderful. "This is my room," he said in a husky voice. He bent his head to kiss my neck. I heard the door unlock. He had slipped the card into the slot while he was kissing me. He pushed down on the handle and swung the door back, still pressing me against it with his body and still kissing me. I needed him to keep touching me. I couldn't stand it if he stopped. When the door was opened wide enough, he lifted me again to carry me through it.

The door slammed closed behind us. We were alone. Off-stage together for the first time since I had left the cottage to meet Rosalie. But according to my sister, the game wasn't over yet. In a flash, he had thrown me down on the bed and was lying on top of me. The weight of his body was thrilling. He pulled his mouth away from mine, leaving me panting. "I want you," he said fiercely. The room was unlit, but I could see his eyes fixed on mine. "From the first moment I saw you in the bar, I wanted to bring you here. Do you want me?" I nodded. I was limp with desire for him. Having him play the part of a stranger who proceeded slowly and asked permission for every advance was driving me wild, and he knew it.

"I don't know what you like." His hand stroked the side of my face. "You must tell me if I do anything wrong."

I reached up to pull him close again. "You won't," I said breathlessly.

He didn't.

* * *

Edward lay on his side next to me, propped up on one arm. He had snapped the bedside light on. "Isabella," he said, very seriously. I frowned slightly. I assumed Emmett had instructed him on the same rules Rosalie had given me. It was "afterwards," so shouldn't we be back to our usual selves? I looked at him uncertainly. He continued, speaking slowly. "I know we just met. It's all very sudden." He laughed briefly. "You're going to think I'm crazy. But there's something about you, about being with you…" He watched his hand as he ran it over me, molding the sheet to my form. His breathing was uneven. His velvet voice was intense. "It makes me feel like I don't ever want to leave you." His eyes met mine, and I was drenched in the golden warmth of his gaze. "You don't have to answer right away, but I have to ask. Isabella Swan, will you marry me?"

I laughed. "I'm sorry," I said lightly. "I'm already married."

He whipped the sheet away and looked at my body. "He's a lucky man," he murmured. "Do you mind if I leave the light on?"

I shook my head, responding to his question and his statement. "I'm the lucky one."

"No, _I _am." His hands and mouth were on my skin now. Excitement was flooding me again. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the sensations he was creating. "Bella?"

"Edward?" I gasped at his knowing touch.

"We don't have to check out until 11:00."

We didn't.

* * *

_Author's Note: As always, I'm very eager to hear your reactions. Do you think Rosalie's idea fits her? Did you enjoy my story?_

_As for the next chapter, well, I was curious about why Edward agreed for them to participate, so....I wrote the whole thing from his POV. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: This seems really self-indulgent of me, but I was really wondering what was going on in Edward's mind during the role play date with Rosalie and Emmett in the previous chapter, so I wrote it, the whole thing from his POV. It's more than twice as long as Bella's version! First, because Edward knew what the evening was about and had to be talked into it, and second, because it's Edward, always analyzing everything._

* * *

I heard Rosalie's idea the moment it occurred to her. It was the morning after we'd gone to cooking class courtesy of Jacob. To be precise, it was just after noon when Bella finally let me out of bed. I had found it necessary to mention our daughter's name several times to bring her to her senses. Then again, I was the one who had driven her so thoroughly out of her senses. It wouldn't be fair of me to chide her for her inner conflict. Knowing how strongly I could affect her made me feel fantastic. But I couldn't resist teasing just a little bit as we ran to the house.

"I'm sure Rosalie won't mind more time with Renesmee," I smirked at her. "If you weren't quite ready to stop."

"I can wait until tonight," she said with asperity.

"That's _hours_ and _hours_ from now," I said, mock plaintively. I stopped running, and she automatically stopped beside me. I took her hands, and locked my gaze onto hers. Could I dazzle her back out of her clothes? Oh, God. She had opened her mind. I was flooded with her memories of last night. The sights, sounds, the overwhelming feelings. I reached to pull her against me and kiss her, but she slipped her hands out of mine and darted a short distance away.

"Bella, please!" I groaned.

"Please stop? Or please more?"

"More," I said emphatically. "They're not expecting us at any special time. They can wait ten more minutes."

"_Ten_ minutes?"

"OK, twenty, but please come back here," I begged. "I need you."

Her bewitching smile sent excitement racing through me. I knew I was going to get my way. "And you won't tease me again afterwards?"

"Whatever you say." I would have promised anything. I shouldn't have been so smug about my power over her. I was completely in thrall to her. Forty minutes later, we were on our way to the house again, hand in hand. I looked at the spectacular, entrancing, ravishing woman who gave my life so much joy and meaning.

"I love you."

She glanced at me suspiciously. "You promised not to start anything."

"I'm wounded! Don't you trust me? I wouldn't dream of it."

She laughed. "Just to be sure," she said, dropping my hand and taking off. "Race you!" she called back.

I got to the house just a step behind her. Renesmee was already telling her about the evening and morning she'd spent with the family. I saw the images flash through my daughter's mind as she shared them with Bella.

I turned to Rosalie. Her thoughts and Renesmee's both showed that Jacob had already stopped by the house. Rosalie knew where he'd sent us, and she was not pleased. Disdain radiated from her mind.

"It's not enough for you to be friends with dogs. You went to cooking class so you can make them happy with better food?" It was at this point that the idea flashed into her head. She wanted Bella and me to join Emmett and her on one of their evenings out. The kind where they pretended not to know each other. Rosalie loved the attention she received on these occasions, from strangers and from her husband as he endeavored to pick her up. She wanted to prove that we'd prefer their date to Jacob's. I wasn't so sure that we would. Our eyes met, but she didn't mention her thoughts out loud. She returned to her outrage at my behavior. "It's not like you have to make any effort for them. Those animals will eat anything. They shouldn't expect to eat here, anyway."

"Thank you for always taking such good care of Renesmee," I said with a smile. Killing her with kindness was much more fun than arguing. "We couldn't have fun if we were worried about her. You're a great sister and an even better aunt."

She snorted, but she ceased complaining about the cooking class.

* * *

So, I was somewhat prepared when Emmett brought up the topic. The others were out, and we'd been watching football. He put the television on mute for halftime. _Time to discuss Rose's double date idea._

I looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Something special you want to talk about?"

"You know what Rose wants," he stated.

"Yes, I heard her. She wants us to go on one of those role play dates with you."

"You don't want to?" He was thinking over some of the fun they'd had.

"No offense, but it doesn't seem like our style."

_I promised her I'd try to persuade him. _"Will you listen to what I have to say about it?"

"Of course."

"She said that I should tell you to do it for her. Just because she wants you to."

"Emmett," I grumbled. Yes, Rosalie was my sister, my first sibling, and I owed her so much. But did I have to let her dictate the terms of my debt?

"Yeah, I told her the guilt trip wasn't the best way. That's why I'm talking to you. I think I can convince you to really want to give it a try."

"OK, shoot."

"Edward, I've been with you the whole time, since the day you met Bella." He was remembering the first conversation we'd had about my feelings for Bella. _Wouldn't you want to touch her?_ "You thought you couldn't even touch her, ever. And then when you did, it was so hard for you." Another conversation appeared in his mind. I remembered our words as clearly as he did. He'd been waiting to speak to me when I came home to change clothes after taking Bella to the meadow for the first time.

"_Gotta hand it to you, kid. You didn't kill her."_

"_No, I didn't." I frowned._

"_What was it like? Was it hard not to?" He paused at my troubled expression, wondering if he was prying. "You don't have to tell me anything. I'll leave you alone."_

"_No, stay. Who else am I going to talk to?" I lay down on my couch, but I flung my arm over my eyes. Knowing he couldn't see my face made it easier. "Emmett, it was amazing. I never knew anything could feel so good."_

"_That's great." I could hear the smile in his voice and his hopes for my happiness in his thoughts._

"_But I did want to kill her. Her scent is so powerful, her heartbeat is mesmerizing, and she's so warm, from the blood. My mouth is watering when I'm close to her. That's not right."_

"_You can't help that. I have no idea how, but the fact is that you didn't bite her."_

"_She should be with someone who's not struggling against the instinct to destroy her."_

"_Maybe she should, but she wants to be with you." He saw things so much more simply than I did. Was I worrying too much? Emmett often thought so._

"_I just wish I didn't crave her blood so much. I wish I could just be with her like a man with a woman."_

"_You could." They all knew what Alice had seen._

"_Forget that, Emmett. It's not happening."_

"_Look, you had all this going on inside. What about her? You must seem very…" He usually kept a distance from humans and didn't consider them very closely. He searched for the right words. "…solid and cold to her. Did she like it?"_

"_I think so. When I kissed her, she really responded. She could barely walk afterwards." I smiled at the memory. "It was like she was drunk." I paused. There had been difficult moments along with the rapturous ones. "I had to run away from her, and I had to restrain her," I confessed. "I think I hurt her feelings. I wish I could know what she's thinking!"_

"_You explained, didn't you?"_

"_Yes, I apologized." How could that make up for being what I was?_

_He didn't understand why I was so torn up. To him it sounded like everything had gone extremely well and certainly much better than expected. "Edward, she's crazy about you. She'd have to be, to be alone with you after knowing what we are."_

"_Do you really think so?" So much eagerness in my voice._

"_Yeah, I do." His reassurance soothed me and invigorated me at the same time. I leapt off the couch, desperate to get back to her side._

"What's your point?" I asked, snapping both of us out of the memory and back to the present.

"Well, you remember what it was like for you at first. The whole time she was human. You had to go really, really slow. Did that ever bother her?"

"No," I said automatically. "She understood." But more memories emerged at once to contradict my assertion. One of her first, most important questions, _Do you find me attractive, in _that_ way, at all?_ Lying next to her in my dark room months later. _You know that I want you, too. _And her skeptical reply, _Do you?_ Even on our honeymoon, she wasn't sure I wanted her: _I mean, I don't know how it was for you._

He had noted my expression. He was nodding. "I thought so. She was human. She was afraid maybe she wasn't good enough? You didn't feel that much for her? Because you were always holding back."

"She, yes, she had some moments of absolutely groundless insecurity," I admitted. "But I always convinced her that I desired her. It's just that I had to balance that with protecting her." I sighed. "What am I saying? You know, once she asked me whether her blood or her body tempted me more. And I had to say it was a tie. It should have been her body only."

"Exactly!"

"What do you mean?"

"Edward, what if you'd met her when you were the same? Both human or both vampire? All that would have been completely different. She'd never have a reason to think you weren't wild about her."

"Yes, but—"

"Come out with me and Rose, and you can show her."

His voice rang with conviction. He was right. If Bella and I met as equals, especially now that—thanks to her—I wasn't as innocent as I'd been, our first kiss and everything that followed would be very different. Instead of being so damnably cautious and practically reluctant, I could be passionate. Of course she had doubted my desire for her. She'd had to drag me nearly every step of the way. Intellectually, she knew my hesitation was caused by my concern for her safety in my arms. But emotionally, I knew it had been trying for her.

My brother was remembering us together since Bella's change. He'd seen us embrace and kiss and steal off to the cottage. _That's how it should have been from the very beginning. Try meeting her again for the first time._

"When can we go?"

He grinned.

* * *

Emmett and Rosalie made all the arrangements. They chose a suitable bar in Seattle and booked rooms at a nearby hotel. Alice had acquired some very choice outfits for her sisters. She'd been trying to keep me uninformed, and I tried to accommodate her efforts. But I was pretty sure I'd be seeing Bella in gold satin. It matched her eyes.

They'd made me promise not to tell Bella what was ahead. Rosalie would explain the game when she and Bella got there. Bella was willing to go along with the surprise. But I needed to make sure she had a way out. I spoke to her before she left to get dressed. "If you don't like it, if you want to stop, tell me in your thoughts, and I will deal with Emmett and Rosalie," I advised her solemnly. Her eyes widened slightly. I could see that my words disturbed her.

"OK," she said, looking thoughtful. Then her expression cleared. "But you do worry too much." She gave me a quick kiss before running off.

I packed clothes for both of us for tomorrow. We couldn't leave the hotel in the same things we'd been wearing the night before. What would people think? I showered and got dressed in the new outfit Alice had provided for me. I had to make a good first impression on my wife.

* * *

The drive to Seattle was a good time to discuss some of my lingering concerns about the evening. "Emmett, I need to talk to you about something."

_Go on_.

"Part of the fun for Rosalie is for everyone in the bar to admire her."

He chuckled. _Don't worry. They'll admire Bella too._

"That is not what I meant!"

He laughed out loud at my reaction. _Touchy, aren't we? My mistake. What about it?_

"_You_don't have to hear what everyone's thinking.**"**

_Yeah, I know. _He switched to speech. "She's gorgeous. You must have heard it all before."

"Yes, and I hate it! Normally she doesn't put herself on display. This will be worse, much worse."

"Look, I've thought about it. Rose and I will be there. We won't leave until you do. Try to concentrate on our thoughts. If you hear things that upset you, we'll have you covered. And I swear, if it's really tough for you, Rosalie will apologize for putting you in that position."

I laughed, releasing some of my anxiety. "That doesn't give me much incentive to keep my cool."

_Dude, Bella will be there too. _"She doesn't want to see you fly into a jealous rage."

The thought of Bella helped to relax me further. "You're right. Everything will be fine. Thanks for looking out for me."

"Edward, you're going to be apologizing to Rosalie that you didn't love this idea from the start."

"Really." It wasn't even a question. It was a statement of complete disbelief.

"You know how I feel about Rosalie. I can't get enough of her. I worship that woman, and I make sure she knows it. But this kind of date makes me see her in a different way. When I leave with her, I feel like the luckiest man on earth. And then when we get to the room…" His mind began filling with vivid memories.

"Emmett, do you mind!" I protested.

_Sorry. But I'm telling you, you _will_ have a good time tonight._

"We always have a good time."

"_Always_," he quoted me. "That's what I'm talking about."

"I don't understand what you mean."

He thought for a moment. "You've put in a lot of practice. You both know what works. Well, if you really want to have fun, you have to forget all that."

"Forget? How can I forget?"

"Are you kidding me? You pretend all the time. Pretend you're slow, pretend you're weak, pretend you're not bored to death in school, pretend you aren't hearing what people are thinking. Pretending you don't know Bella should be easy."

"I don't know, but—"

"And if you don't know her, that means you have to really pay attention. If you do this right, you're going to learn something about your wife. I always do. You're with the woman you love, but if you treat her differently, she'll be different, and it's _awesome_."

Emmett was not exaggerating. I could see that his words were completely sincere. So, if Bella and I did not have a truly amazing night, then Emmett was going to conclude that we just didn't have the same level of physical connection that he shared with Rosalie. Well, nobody had the same level of physical connection that Bella and I did. If the secret to proving it was to pretend not to know her and to pay attention to her reactions, that's what I would do.

* * *

We were a block away from the bar, and thoughts were pouring into my head. Of course, they were centered on my wife and my sister.

_They must be models. I'm going on a diet. Starting tomorrow._

_It would be nice if my date could tear his eyes away and stop drooling for a minute or two. _

_Hard to say which one's better looking. I sure wouldn't kick either of them out of bed._

_How many drinks would it take for her to want to go home with me?_

_Wonder if they'd be into a threesome. God, I wouldn't mind just watching the two of them..._

Graphic images accompanied the thoughts. Unfortunately, the dresses Alice had selected left very little to the imagination. Bella's thoughts could turn me on like nothing else. Other people's thoughts on the same subject made me want to destroy everything in sight. I stopped, grabbing Emmett's arm to halt him. I was practically trembling.

"Em, I have to get away from here."

"Whoa, take it easy, kid." _He's in trouble. _He put his hands on my shoulders and began massaging, as if I were a prizefighter about to enter the ring and he were my trainer. "Is it that bad?"

"You have no idea," I moaned. Closing my eyes did nothing to stop the flow, but I shut them anyway,

"Try to find Rosalie," he urged. _It's OK. I'm here._ "Tune them out and listen for her."

_They've never seen anything like me. _Yes, my sister's familiar voice and thoughts weren't hard to identify. _Anything like us. _Well, that was nice of her. She must be in a very good mood. She was talking to Bella. I saw the image of my wife's beautiful face wearing a puzzled expression. Rosalie was explaining the game. "When Em gets here, it's so exciting. We know what's going to happen, but it's always different. Everyone thinks Emmett picked me up, persuaded me to leave with him when the rest of them struck out. He _loves_ it. Edward will too."

"You think so?" Bella replied, looking doubtful. She was worried about me. My love was so considerate of me. She knew I didn't like being exposed to other people's thoughts and fantasies about her.

Emmett's voice interrupted their conversation. "You picked up Rose's mind?"

"Yes, I can see Bella." I let out the breath I'd been holding. The low-cut gold dress was very flattering.

"She's waiting for you, bro."

"OK," I said firmly. "Let's go."

I focused exclusively on Rosalie's thoughts as we entered the bar. Bella was asking her when the game ended. "Afterwards," Rosalie said significantly. I saw Bella roll her eyes. "OK, Rosalie. I get it." _Afterwards_. That was why I had agreed to participate. To spend the night with someone I just met, someone with the dazzling looks and captivating personality and boundless heart of my wife. But without our history.

Emmett had spoken to a waiter and handed him some money. The waiter was pleased at his generosity but pessimistic about our chances. _Many have tried; none has succeeded. _What a philosopher. _But maybe these two will get lucky. They're a bit more impressive than our usual clientele_. I saw him approach their table and gesture towards us. Rosalie was very happy. _Em looks so hot. I can't wait to rip those clothes off him._ The waiter registered Bella's reaction for me. _She nearly fell off her chair when she saw him, the smaller one. He looks so young. I hope he knows how to handle himself with a girl like that._ Watch me.

Bella turned away as we came over. I guessed she was preparing herself for the charade. Acting was not her strong suit, although she had by necessity improved tremendously since becoming one of us. Emmett introduced us and presented the cover story we'd planned. "We're in town for a convention. This is the kid's first business trip, and I'm introducing him to some of our clients. But I didn't expect we'd be meeting the two most beautiful women on earth."

"What a sweet thing to say," Rosalie cooed seductively. "I'm Rosalie. Rosalie Hale."

I didn't have to look at Bella to see her. Her face was in Rosalie's mind. She'd probably be more comfortable without confronting my gaze. Her eyes flickered from Rosalie to Emmett to me, and she took a deep breath before speaking.

"Isabella Swan."

I smiled. _O, be some other name! _We were really going to do this. She remembered that the first time we'd met, I was already familiar with her nickname. I never knew "Isabella" Swan. And she'd given me an easy opening. "That's a lovely name," I said.

"It's kind of old-fashioned, don't you think?" She spoke softly, and she still didn't look at me. In a way, it was hard to pretend I didn't know Bella. She was so alluring. Her face and body called to me as strongly as her blood ever had. I longed to touch her, pull her close to me, feel her skin against my mouth. But in another way, the game was easy for me. I just had to be myself, and those desires would soon be satisfied.

"Yes, maybe that's why I like it. I like old-fashioned things."

"Really? Like what else?" Her golden eyes caught mine for a moment, and I saw the excitement sparkling in them before she turned away again.

"Well, one of my favorite things to do is play the piano. Not very cutting-edge, is it?" Ironically, I hadn't revealed this interest of mine the first time we'd met. Esme had told her when she noticed my piano. But she'd been extremely impressed when I played for her. I should have mentioned it sooner, and now, I could.

"It depends on what kind of music you play."

"The classics." Some of which had been written since I was born. "And also my own compositions." Inspired by her and our daughter.

"You write music? Isn't that modern?"

Her questions were always interesting. "I see your point. But my pieces are pretty traditional."

"Are you a musician?"

"Yes, but not professionally. Emmett and I sell medical equipment to hospitals and clinics and doctor's offices." I wondered what she'd make of the fiction we'd devised.

"Do you enjoy your work?"

"I'm just starting out. I like it because there's a technical side, learning the characteristics of all the products and understanding the scientific and medical basis for them. But there's also a personal side. We meet a lot of people. In order to be effective at sales, we have to discover their concerns and show that our products will solve problems for them."

"I bet you're good at it."

She had chosen to pay me a compliment. Was I already winning her over? It would be rude either to reject the compliment or to accept it too complacently. "I can be fairly persuasive when I try."

"Is that a warning?"

Well, that was a flirtatious question. I knew how to press my advantage. "Do you have any problems I could help you solve?"

"Maybe."

I was making progress, but she wasn't ready yet. It was exciting to have to wait and work for her consent. I did take for granted that I could indulge my desires whenever I chose. Juliet's words came to mind again: _Or if thou thinkest I am too quickly won, __I'll frown and be perverse, and say thee nay, __So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world. _This evening, I had the chance to court her. I should ask questions to get to know her better. "What do you do? Are you in school?"

"I'm taking some time off before college. I'm working as a nanny to a little girl." Clever Bella to invent a story so near the truth.

"Is she a problem for you?"

"No, not at all. She's delightful. Very precocious. She's a real charmer."

Her face lit up, and I knew she was thinking of Renesmee. "I can tell that you enjoy your work too."

"I do. Being with her is not really work at all."

"And I bet you're good at it. What sorts of things do you do with her?"

"She keeps me busy. It's a good thing I have a lot of energy. We like to read stories together and spend time outdoors, in the woods. But you don't want to hear all about her, do you? Most guys our age are not interested in little children."

She was putting me on the spot. Admitting my fascination in her charge would come dangerously close to destroying the charade. But denying it wouldn't do me any good either. She'd trapped me. "How should I answer that? If I say I am interested, you'll think I'm peculiar or worse, just giving you a line. But if I say I'm not, it would be rude."

"You could tell the truth."

"The truth," I repeated. The way she was testing me was adorable. What could I say that was true and still maintained the pretense? "The truth is that I'm interested in _you_ and I want to know about everything that's important to you. You said you had a problem I might be able to help you with."

She indicated Rosalie and Emmett. They were staring deeply into each other's eyes and their thoughts were full of love and passion. "I think Rosalie has found a new friend. That's a problem because she was my ride home."

Success! "I see. Well, I'd be happy to solve that problem for you. It would be an honor to see you home safely."

"That's very kind of you. I wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

"It would be my pleasure, truly."

"It's still early, though. Do you have to take me straight home?"

I loved how openly she was showing her interest in me. Maybe she viewed the evening as a second chance for her as well, to behave differently towards me. When we'd met, I'd been so ambivalent, so absurdly, infuriatingly hot and cold. She'd fought against her feelings and tried to hide them, because she didn't think they were reciprocated. The dynamic tonight was much simpler. We both wanted to be together. There was a lot I intended to do before I took her home. I looked in her warm golden eyes and let my yearning for her infuse my voice. "This must seem very forward of me. I've never done anything like this before. Everyone says that, but it's true. I've never felt this way about anyone. Would you like to come to my room?"

She nodded. That wordless _yes_ filled me with anticipation. A few quick words to Em and Rosalie and we were on our way out of the bar and into a light rain.

As Rosalie predicted, people took note of our departure.

_Look at him. I guess I never had a chance._

_How did he pull that off?_

_She's out of this world. Some guys have all the luck._

_I wish I were in her shoes._

_Well done, kid. _That was the waiter.

_I'd like to be a fly on that wall._

Enough! I had other things on my mind than the reaction of a few dozen partiers. Since Emmett had sold me on this night out, I'd thought about it a lot. Our first kiss had been unforgettable, but I'd experienced a great deal of fear along with the pleasure. After she'd changed, we'd had another first kiss. Magical. Memorable. Unfortunately most of our family had been present.

As for our first time making love, it had been a huge leap of faith, and I didn't have very much faith in myself. I'd never even let her take her top off, because I was sure the excitement would be too much for me. And then I had promised go much further. It was like switching from driving her truck to my Vanquish. I was so apprehensive. She knew I was afraid of hurting her, but there was another fear I kept secret from her: I was afraid I wouldn't please her. Disappointing her in any way was a very uncomfortable prospect for me, but it also seemed likely. My body was cold and unyielding— hardly conducive to passion— and I had no experience. My instincts had guided me well, but the fulfillment, delicious as it was, had been overshadowed by the extreme uncertainty that preceded it and the deep distress that followed it.

Our first night at the cottage was our next "first" time. I knew she wanted me, and I knew she was reeling from and reveling in the new intensity of her sensations. There was no hesitation, there was no finesse, there were no words. It was pure need and incandescent feeling.

The mood on this night would be different. I'd be tentative just like when I first set out to pursue her, but not because I had any fears. I was an expert driver now. I'd make sure of her _yes_, but not because I had any doubts. I'd go slow to study her reactions and savor the anticipation.

"My hotel is right around the corner. If you're sure."

"I'm sure." Another _yes_.

"I said I would take you home, and I will, whenever you want to go."

"You seem like a really nice person. I didn't think I'd meet someone like you in a place like that."

"It was Emmett's idea."

"Well, please thank him for me. This is my lucky night."

I smiled. "I have to disagree. The good fortune is all mine." Raindrops were glistening in her hair. "I'm so sorry, Isabella. I don't have an umbrella for you."

"It's OK, really. I don't mind a little rain."

I inhaled. The air was heavy with her marvelous, sweet scent. "Neither do I."

I led her to the elevators. I waited until we were alone to speak. I took her hands and looked into her eyes. "Isabella," I breathed. "You're so beautiful." I leaned close to press a soft kiss on her lips.

"Is that OK?"

"Yes," she gasped. She was not used to my pulling away. We were always hungry for intimate contact.

"More?"

"Yes!" Another _yes_, another wave of joy washing through me. I pulled her close and captured her lips with mine. Her mouth and tongue were full of warmth and sweetness. I felt her hands slide into my hair. The elevator arrived at our floor, but I couldn't bear to let go of her. Nobody was around. I picked her up and carried her down the hall.

Our initial contact, when I was first learning how to be close to her, had been so sparing. I'd had to ration every moment of my self-control. I didn't have to do that now. I didn't have to stop touching her, and I wouldn't. I pressed her against the door. I couldn't give up the feeling of the length of her body against mine. While I kissed her, I fished the key out of my pocket and shoved it into the slot. The lock clicked and I pushed the door open, still maintaining the heady pressure of my body against hers.

I lifted her into my arms again. She was clutching me and returning my kisses avidly. I toppled her onto the bed under me. It would be easy to proceed without words, but that wouldn't be playing the game. I pulled away again and looked down at her. She was panting.

"I want you," I declared. My voice sounded rough and low. "From the first moment I saw you in the bar, I wanted to bring you here. Do you want me?" She nodded. A final _yes_. She was mine. I could have her, take her. Another first time. But there would never be a last time. Every time I made love to Bella was the first of the infinite unions ahead. I was filled with desire but also gratitude for this new opportunity to demonstrate my love and to give her some of the pleasure she gave me just by existing. I stroked her face gently. "I don't know what you like." It wasn't a lie. For tonight, I _wouldn't_ know. I would find out all over again. "You must tell me if I do anything wrong."

She pulled me to her. Just before I felt her smooth lips meet mine, she spoke: "You won't." At this unanticipated and most powerful _yes_, my feelings surged again. A _yes_ that she trusted me to never do anything she didn't like. A _yes_ that she welcomed anything, everything I wanted to do.

While we embraced, while I enjoyed the heat of our mouths together, I slid my arm around her and unzipped her dress. She gasped as I pulled away far enough to push the dress off her shoulders and below her waist. I tugged at the hem to slide it all the way off. She reached up to unbutton my shirt.

I stayed her hands: "Let me." In seconds we were both naked. She had twined her arms and legs around me. I felt a rush of relief and a wave of desire at the sensation of her skin on mine. She had resumed driving me out of my mind with her lips and tongue and teeth on my mouth. What happened to going slow? Is this really how I would behave with someone I just met? Apparently, yes, if that someone was Bella. She was so exciting.

But I was on a mission, and I wouldn't let her distract me. I slid down and began caressing everything my hands or mouth came in contact with. As Emmett had advised, I monitored her reactions carefully. I could feel and hear her response to my touch. He was right. I never knew how much she liked me to pay attention to that particular spot. But I did know how deeply I adored the evidence of her passion for me and what I was doing to her. I was high on the closeness, the power, the pleasure. She pulled me back up and we took off together.

* * *

I turned the light on, the better to see her with. I lay on my side and gazed down at her. At different times, she'd seemed to me to be a demon, a human, an angel, but right now I was sure she was a goddess. The first time or the millionth time, anytime I made love to her was overwhelming. _With my body I thee worship._ Would I ever be able to express how much love I felt for her? What could I say to this girl I'd picked up to let her know how special I found her? The words of the wedding vows gave me an idea.

"Isabella, I know we just met. It's all very sudden." I laughed quietly. "You're going to think I'm crazy." She certainly had the first time. "But there's something about you, about being with you…" I slid my hand over her, feeling her smooth perfection through the sheet. "It makes me feel like I don't ever want to leave you. You don't have to answer right away, but I have to ask. Isabella Swan, will you marry me?"

She laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm already married."

Did that mean the game was over? Was she still playing a part? But I'd assumed Isabella Swan was single. It was her maiden name. Well, if she wouldn't agree to marry me, if she wouldn't let on that she was already married to me, if I only had one night with this enchantress, I'd make the most of it. I tore the sheet away and ran my eyes over her. "He's a lucky man," I murmured. She was so enticing; I didn't want to stop looking. "Do you mind if I leave the light on?"

She shook her head back and forth on the pillow. "I'm the lucky one."

Looking wasn't enough. Her perfect body drew me irresistibly nearer, to touch, to kiss, to taste. She moved to offer me more soft, smooth skin to caress. I was flooded with energy, passion, need, elation. This much pleasure should be illegal. "No, _I _am," I whispered fervently. My head was spinning from her thrilling scent, her delightful flavor, her warm, responsive body. My wife was the sexiest, most tempting, most exciting woman in creation. I had to have her again, and I could tell she was just as eager. "Bella?"

"Edward?"

"We don't have to check out until 11:00."

_Edward?_ At first I thought she'd spoken out loud again. I realized the communication was mental when I heard my own voice in her mind. _If you want to stop, tell me in your thoughts. _I paused and lifted my head to look her in the eyes, but her eyes were closed.

_Don't stop! _

I didn't.

* * *

Epilogue:

Rose sauntered up to the porch where Jacob and I sat watching Renesmee jump rope, and I heard the eager question in her mind.

She spoke it out loud, for his benefit, "So, which night out did you like better, mine or the mongrel's?"

"Rosalie, it would be very rude for me to answer that question in front of both of you."

"I don't mind," said Jacob mildly. "She has so little to be proud of. She can have this."

Rose hissed at him. "Edward, if you wanted to know my opinion about something, I wouldn't be able to stop you. So I think it's very rude of you not to answer."

"Very well," I smiled. "Rosalie, your date ended with my spending an unforgettable night in bed with Bella. So what do you think?"

"I _knew_ it!" she crowed. She glided back into the house positively gleaming with triumph. _I'm going to tell Emmett. Of course I know my brother better than some_ _neighborhood stray that keeps hanging around the house. _

Jacob was frowning slightly. _Misleading a blonde is way too easy. I don't think he answered her question. _

I winked at him. "Your date also ended with my spending an unforgettable night in bed with Bella."

He chuckled. _What Blondie doesn't know won't hurt her._

I carefully controlled my expression. He hadn't been much more demanding than Rosalie. Of course, I'd spoken the truth to both of them. Just not the whole truth. I spent every night in bed with Bella, and every night was unforgettable. But it wouldn't be seemly to say so.

* * *

_Author's Note: I hope there is enough new stuff here to entertain! Do you think Edward's motivation was realistic? Please let me know if you liked it or even if you didn't. __The next chapter is all new._


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: Well, I got distracted by Rosalie's insistence on showing Edward and Bella her idea of a good time, but I have finally finished the chapter including Renesmee, which has been in the works for a long time. I hope you enjoy reading it!_

* * *

Any of us would give Renesmee whatever she wanted, but there was one thing we couldn't give. She wanted to go without sleeping like Edward and I and the rest of our family did. She knew perfectly well that she was different. She knew that humans slept at night. She knew that Jacob slept at night, and Charlie and Sue and Billy and all the others. She still believed it was extremely unfair that she had to miss out on what she imagined as hours of enjoyment every day.

"Sweetie, you have to sleep in order to grow," Edward explained gently.

Her exquisite features contracted into a stubborn expression. She pressed her hand to my neck, and I saw her with us in a variety of scenes—reading, hunting, playing chess, listening to music. She looked exactly the same as she did now, even wearing the same outfit. Her message came across loud and clear. She didn't mind staying the same if she could just stay up all night.

"Renesmee, it won't work," Edward reasoned with her. "Your body needs to sleep just like you need to breathe and eat. You can't avoid it. Let's go to your room, and I'll sing your song for you." She was still pouting, but she permitted him to lead her away.

He returned to me in a thoughtful mood. "I have an idea," he said. "Let's take her out hunting one night. I know the perfect place." His phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. "Alice," he said with a satisfied smile. "I predict she's going to tell me when the weather is right for our excursion." He spoke to her briefly and snapped the phone shut. "You didn't know I could predict the future, did you?"

"I didn't," I said, shaking my head slowly and looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. Admiration filled my voice. "What an amazing talent. You're _so_ good at everything."

"That sounds like a challenge." His low, velvet voice was like a caress. He sat next to me on the couch, put his arm around me, and dropped a kiss under my ear. "I'm still receiving visions of the future," he murmured. "I predict that five minutes from now, you'll be in bed, wearing that red lace outfit you bought last week."

I dropped the ingenuous act. "How did you know about that?"

"Hmmm. A magician really shouldn't reveal his secrets," he said, chuckling. "A little girl told me. She didn't know it was supposed to be a surprise. But it still can be. When decisions change, my visions change. I don't see that outfit anymore." He pretended to sound puzzled. "You don't seem to be wearing anything at all."

Laughing, I stood up and held out my hand. "Come on, then. We'll see if you're really a magician."

"Oh, I am," he assured me. His golden eyes were smoldering. "Haven't I proved that before? But you go ahead. I have a call to make first. Remember, I said it would be five minutes."

Forty-five minutes later, I had to admit that everything he said had been right on target. And the night was still young.

* * *

Beneath a sky that was clear and bright with stars, Renesmee and I ran through the woods hand in hand, with Edward and Jacob on either side of us. At times like this, Jacob preferred his wolf form so he could hunt with us and so he could help protect Renesmee. Of course, with Edward and me there, Renesmee didn't need him to protect her, but try telling Jacob that. And naturally my ever-cautious husband backed him up. When the two of them joined forces I could rarely win. Renesmee usually liked to stay near me so that she could easily show me her thoughts. Jacob relied on Edward to translate his thoughts to us and Renesemee's images to him. Occasionally, Renesmee would stick with Jacob and then Edward would keep me in the loop.

Edward directed us toward the mountains, where several feet of snow already lay thickly on the ground. A herd of deer were grazing to the east. We let Renesmee race just ahead. Her elation about our special excursion in the crisp night air made the animals taste better than usual.

"Do you want to go a bit farther?" Edward asked our daughter when we'd finished drinking and disposing of the deer. The vision she presented in response was fairly unequivocal. She saw us returning home after dawn. We both laughed. "She's game for an all-nighter," Edward informed Jacob and then shared Jacob's response with us. "Jacob doesn't want to stay out that late. He needs his beauty sleep." Jake let out a sharp bark and I guessed that, as usual, Edward was taking a few liberties with the translation.

"I agree with you, Jake. It won't do you any good anyway."

We'd gone a fair distance when Renesmee suddenly stopped in her tracks. Even before she showed me a picture of Jacob prowling in this area, I sensed what I had been too distracted to notice a moment before. A somewhat faded version of Jacob's scent, muted by the snow, was present.

"Renesmee wants to know what you were doing here," Edward told him.

"So do I," I chimed in, looking at the dark wolf, who lifted one furry brow.

Edward laughed, and turned to us. "I'm repeating this word for word. He says, that's for him to know and you to find out."

Renesmee squeezed my hand in excitement. I let her lead me forward slowly as we followed the familiar scent. It led to a small cluster of trees, and wedged high in the branches we discovered a large sled. Renesmee's touch showed me her anticipation. She was imagining all four of us on the sled flying down the slope with Jacob still in the form of a wolf. Edward and I both laughed again, and he quickly explained the image to Jacob.

"I don't think the sled is big enough for that," I told her. "Even as a human Jake takes up a lot of space. What a great idea, though," I said, looking at my friend. "Thank you." The wolf shook his head.

"It was my idea," said Edward proudly. "But I asked Jacob to do the groundwork, and he cheerfully obliged." Then he turned to Jake with a slight frown on his face. "No, I did _not_ ask you because you could do it much faster than me."

"You two!" I said. Edward enjoyed asserting his longer life experience and greater maturity, but he and Jacob were really like brothers. At the moment, they were certainly acting like brothers, and I felt like I was their mother. "You are both awesome. Can we agree on that?"

"Sorry, love." Edward grinned and leaped into the tree to retrieve the sled, while Jacob trotted away from us deeper into the woods. "He's going to transform," Edward confirmed, jumping down. "He'd never fit on the sled otherwise." I looked at Edward fondly as he began rummaging in his backpack. That backpack was very characteristic of my husband. The fact that he carried an outfit for Jacob so that he wouldn't have to be burdened with it showed how considerate Edward was. And the fact that he carried snacks and extra clothes for Renesmee demonstrated his tendency to overkill. I'd pointed out to him many times that we could live in the wilderness indefinitely and we could be in a town and get anything we wanted in minutes. Edward didn't dispute my reasoning, but he insisted that being prepared for any eventuality was simply part of being a good parent.

"Incoming!" Edward called, and flung the bundle of clothes to where Jacob was waiting. Renesmee was building a pyramid of snowballs. I took advantage of the moment to wind my arms around my husband's neck.

"Does this explain why you kept me waiting the other night?" I whispered. I pulled him close and kissed him. "The phone call you had to make?" Another soft kiss.

He chuckled. "I thought I'd wiped that right out of your mind." His mouth was on mine again. His lips were so smooth. He pulled me closer. "I'll have to work harder next time." His tongue tickled the corner of my mouth.

"Is that a promise?" I was barely voicing the words, but I knew he heard me. He kissed my jaw and neck while I let my head tip back and my whole body relaxed in his arms.

He pulled away suddenly to direct another remark to Jacob. "Put the shirt on too!" he ordered. He kissed my lips again for a warm, long, delicious moment and then stepped away as Jacob emerged from the trees. My best friend had a grumpy expression on his face, but he was fully clothed.

"Who wants to take Renesmee for a ride?" Edward asked graciously.

"You go first," replied Jacob. "It was your idea." He gave them a big push, and we heard Renesmee's gleeful screams as the sled slid away faster and faster. I flopped down in the snow. Jacob leaned against a tree. The snow would melt from his body heat and soak his clothes.

"You're so outdoorsy now," he commented with a smile. "You used to spend all your time reading."

"I can do both and more besides," I informed him. "Do you know why? Because I don't have to sleep."

"You're going to lord that over me when you know how Nessie feels about it?"

"I didn't say it in front of her. But you don't know how nice it is to be capable after being such a klutz before."

"Of course, I wouldn't know. Because I've always been extremely capable." He smiled complacently.

"Well, can you handle this?" In a flash I grabbed two of Renesmee's snowballs and fired them at his face.

"Bella!" he exclaimed in astonishment. "Game on!" He scooped up two handfuls of snow and flung them at me, but I easily evaded the spray. He was at something of a disadvantage. He was a very big target. I was faster, and the snow turned to slush in his hands. I was scoring a lot of hits. He was laughing as he tried to dodge my throws. Suddenly I heard Renesmee shrieking in excitement.

"Are you attacking Jacob?" Edward inquired calmly, with mild amusement in his mellow voice.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," I said sheepishly, dropping the snowball I held.

"Well, next time wait for me!" Very swiftly he jumped into the tree above us and shook the branches, causing snow to cascade all over Jacob, who spluttered with surprised laughter. It was hilarious. Renesmee was in hysterics. But she ran over to him and began trying to brush the snow off.

"Thanks, Nessie," he said, chuckling at her rather futile efforts. "I don't mind being wet. But I think we'd better get out of here before they bury me."

"Have fun," said Edward grinning, as he made sure that Renesmee was tucked securely on the sled with our damp friend. Jake smiled back at him, and Edward gave him a sharp look. "Really?"

"Yeah, I got you covered. Hang on tight, Nessie!" They sped off down the mountain.

Their laughter faded into quiet, and Edward and I lay looking up at the dazzling sky. Thousands of pinpoints of light pierced the blackness. The powdery, pillowy snow was very comfortable. My view was suddenly interrupted. Edward was on top of me. He was kissing me. His weight sent us sinking into the snow bank. We were alone in a cocoon of snow. All I could hear was the sound of our breathing. Edward's taste and thrilling scent filled the air. I took a deep breath and pushed him away. Funny how I used to want to be strong enough to keep him in my arms. But I was a mother now as well as a wife.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a worried look.

"Renesmee? Jacob?" I said pointedly, raising my eyebrows. "Remember them?"

"They're having fun. You know I can hear thoughts farther than he can hear sounds." He smirked. "Unless you're really loud."

"But—" I began to protest.

He anticipated my concern. "He'll keep her busy until we're ready to find them."

I stared at him. "You asked him to do that?" I squawked.

"No!" His reassurance was immediate, but under my suspicious gaze his expression became slightly abashed. "He offered."

I covered my face with my hands. Shouldn't some things be private? Even in a family as close as ours?

"Bella, he knows how it is with us," he said soothingly, stroking my hair. "They all do. Thank goodness they can't read my mind! If they could hear how much I love you, how much I want you all the time, they would gang up to slaughter me just to make it stop." He pulled my hands away and kissed my eyelids, my face and my neck. "Let me show you how much," he murmured in my ear. His voice was husky. The familiar yearning rushed through me. His words and touch had ignited the warm, greedy, dizzy feeling. I didn't need any more persuasion, but I didn't mind experiencing it. I kept my eyes closed and forced myself to remain motionless while his hands and lips sent excitement swirling through my body. "I'll make you forget where we are," he promised. He was still holding back, waiting for my permission. I'd already forgotten how to speak. Instead I wrapped my arms and legs around him and brought my mouth to his. I would have thought the heat would melt the snow.

* * *

"Oh, there you are," said Jacob, elaborately casual. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"There you are!" Renesmee echoed joyfully. "Mommy, I want to go sledding with you now."

"Sure." She beckoned me near her. She touched my cheek and showed me the two of us flying downhill with her controlling the sled.

"You want to steer?" I asked her dubiously. Another touch, another picture, this one of Jacob showing her what to do. I could sense her pride.

"Jacob, you let her steer? Was that really a good idea?" Edward inquired disapprovingly.

"Man, you sure know how to worry," was Jacob's unconcerned reply. "Is that your special vampire talent?"

"Fine," Edward sighed. "Have it your way. I'm not in the mood to argue."

"Yeah, you better not be. Right, Bella?" My best friend grinned at me. "Or do you two need a little more alone time?"

"Shut up." Unfortunately, my retort didn't seem to bother Jacob any more than Edward's concern had.

"Ready, Nessie?" he asked cheerfully.

"Ready!" she declared happily. I felt Jacob's hands on my back giving us a shove to send us sliding down the slope. Renesmee laughed gaily as we skidded through the trees. The speed was exhilarating. I was in a giddy mood. She piloted us capably down the mountain.

"That was fun!" I exclaimed when we coasted to a stop. She reached up to touch me and I saw Edward's face. In her vision of him, he glowed like a god. "Daddy has great ideas," I agreed. "Of course, we'll thank him." Jacob's human face also looked radiant in her mind. "And Jacob too."

We raced back up to join the others. The sled got quite a workout before we stashed it back in the tree and headed home.

* * *

As Renesmee had envisioned, dawn was breaking by the time we arrived back at the cottage. But as Edward had declared, fighting her body's need for rest was a losing battle. As we made our way home, her feet began to stumble and I guessed that he saw her mind fading. He swept her into his arms, and she fell asleep as he carried her. Jacob continued escorting us on four feet, always vigilant. When we reached the cottage, I stretched up to hug him and whisper thanks in his ear before he ran into the woods. I followed Edward into the little bedroom and watched as he gently tucked our daughter into her bed.

"She'll be out for hours," he said softly. "Do you want to watch her?"

We did often enjoy watching our daughter sleep. But not this morning. Locking my gaze with his, I slowly shook my head. The crooked smile appeared on his beautiful face as he took in my expression.

"Was there something else you had in mind?" he asked, his voice low and intense. For answer, I peeled back my shield and gave him a glimpse of my thoughts. No more words were necessary.

* * *

_Author's Note: I have an idea for another chapter, although I don't know when I'll even be able to start it. In the meantime, I love, love, love getting reviews._


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